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What would Russ Jackson think?

  • September 25, 2008 3:25 PM
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As expected, Stephen Harper turned up the volume on Jack Layton this week in British Columbia. Conservatives are worried disaffected Liberal voters in B.C. will vote for New Democrats Oct. 14, instead of moving to the Tories, which could stall Harper's march toward a possible majority.

Political Bytes

Paul Hunter

At every opportunity here, Harper has underlined his view that Layton's party is unfit to run Canada's economy — "So vote Conservative!" is his message.

But as he disses the Layton crowd, Harper's challenge is differentiating for B.C. voters between the federal and provincial wings of the New Democratic Party. Federal Tories see B.C. New Democrats as ideological friendlies in many ways, but eye the federal Layton-led variety with venom.

So a new phrase has popped into Harper's speeches the past couple of days: "The Ottawa NDP," as in "The Ottawa NDP would destroy this country's economy."

Reporters have noted the more he says it, the more it sounds like a sports team, as in "the Ottawa NDP versus the B.C. Lions."

It should also be noted the Ti-Cats already have a lock on orange.

— Paul Hunter